Spring for car-vestibule diaphragms.



1?. G. FOWLER. SPRING FOB GAB VESTIBULE DIAPER-AGES.

7 APPLICATION FILED D110. 21, 1909. 966,81 8.

Patented Aug 9, 1910.

fioentoz /fl zwlr 7 a Qua mums-$112M 1.

F. G. FOWLER. SPRING FOE CAB. VESTIBULE DIAPHRAGMS.

APPLICATION FILED D30. 21, 1909.

Patented Aug. 9,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ill

Fmnf

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

mm c. rowmaQor AL'IOONA, remnants.

same roaoxn-vnsrrnonammaons.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, FRANK G. FOWLER, a citizen of the United States, residin at Altoona, in the county of Blair and tate of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Springs, for Car-vestibule ia hragms, of which the following is a specification.

The resent invention relates to means for maintaining the diaphragms of car. vestibules in properly extended condition, and the object is to provide a structure that is exceedingly simple and eifective, and will to a very great extent, eliminate the noise now incldent to steel cars equipped with such diaphragms, the structure moreover being such that the diaphragms will conform to curves and cross-overs without creating disagreeable noise.

The preferred form of construction is I illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

clamped by said box. T

whereinz- Figure 1 is a erspective view of a car vestibule equippe with the novel mechanism, a portion of the diaphragm being broken away to illustrate the. same. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the s ring. Fi 4 is a view in elevation of sai sprlng. i 5 is a top plan view of a slightly modi ed form of construction. Fig. 6 is a plan view of one of the keeper boxes. Fig. 7 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view Y on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the embodiment disclosed, the vestibule of the car is designated 9, and (projecting therefrom is the usual bellows iaphra m 10 having a terminal metallic frame 11. ecured centrally to the top of this frame is a keeper box 12, which, as shown in Fig. 8,

comprises two oppositely arranged L-shaped sections 13 secured together by a central rivet 14 that also passes through the central portion of a-bowed spring e terminal portions of the spring slidably pass through keeper boxes 16 that are fastened, as shown at 17, to the end wall of the vestibule, and in order to prevent the detachment of the spring from said boxes, the terminals are offset, as shown at 18.

It will be evident that with this construction, the bellows will be maintained in prop- 15 that is thus Specification of Letters Patent. Pate'nte'd 9:191 95 k o Application flied December 21, 1909. Serial-No. 584,374.

erly extended position, and yet will yield to the necessary sway and relative movement between the cars. By providing the means for preventing the disengagement of the spring from the gu de boxes, the diaphragm face plate or frame will be maintalned in proper position when the cars are uncoupled,

this being a very important feature. The

particular construction of the box 12 is also valuable. By producing the same of L-' shaped sections, a band is'formed for the springs that can be applied without the necessity of heating sa d band, and consequently the danger of drawingthe temper from the spri is eliminated. In Fig. 5, a s ightly modified form of construction is disclosed. frame is illustrated at 11 and the end wall of the vestibule is desi ated 9". The frame 11" has secured centra y to the inner side of its top an car 19, and the keeper box 12 carries an car 20 pivoted to the car 19, as shown at 21. Keeper boxes 17 are fixed to the vestibule wall 9, and receivethe ends of the bowed spring 15.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advan-' tages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, with-' out further description, and it will b e understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Havin thus fully described my invention, what I c aim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vestibule mounting for railway cars, the combination with a movable terminal frame member, of wear secured to said The diaphragm frame member, a bracket pivoted to said ear, a bowed spring having its central portion secured to sai bracket, and stationary oppositely located spaced keeper boxes secured to a fixed point of support, t e terminals of the spring slidablv engaging WltlP in the boxes and having 0 set ends to prevent disengagement of said terminals from the boxes. I

2, In a railway car, the combination with a vestibule, of a bellows diaphra m having a terminal frame, an ear secure centrally to the top of the frame, a bracket pivoted to theear and including a keeper box comprising reversely arranged L- shaped sec.

g g; H 663,818

h. bowed spri entrai pore In testimony v vherof I hereunt afix t1on clamped in sm b0!!! and siaeed keeper gnature 1n the presence of two witnesses boxes secured to the vestlbule, t e terminals FRANK FOWLER.

of the spr' being slidably engaged inthe 5 boxes and aving ofiset ends constituting Witnesses:

means for preventing the disengagement of N. E. GEE, said terminals from the boxes. D. LLOYD CLAYOOMB. 

